Students must understand the hacker to be the protector of data.
Inside:
Baking up a career Page 4
Opportunity awaits Criminal Justice grad Page 6
Translating in the classroom Page 12
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Focus is published bi-annually for the communities of Fox Valley Technical College.
Director of College Marketing
Barb Dreger
Executive Editor
Carmelyn Daley-Hinkens
Art Director
Cara Jakubiec
Editor Casey Britten
Contributing Editor
Susan Lucius
Photographers
Gary Brilowski, Lucky Cha, Brandon Landwehr, Mike Roemer
President
Dr. Chris Matheny
Fox Valley Technical College
1825 N. Bluemound Dr., P.O. Box 2277 Appleton, WI 54912-2277
1-800-735-3882 • www.fvtc.edu
TTY (hearing impaired) 711 State Relay System
Email Inquiries: stacey.baughman1946@fvtc.edu
Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission since 1974.
FVTC offers more than 200 associate degree, technical diploma and certificate programs, and instruction related to 15 apprenticeship trades, in addition to providing services to business and industry. The college serves about 45,000 people annually, more than any other technical college in Wisconsin.
© 2023 Fox Valley Technical College.
Fox Valley Technical College is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including members of underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, females, veterans and individuals of all abilities. For questions regarding the College’s nondiscrimination policy, contact: Rayon Brown – rayon.brown6751@fvtc.edu (Affirmative Action), TitleIX@fvtc.edu (gender discrimination, including sexbased violence) or Daniel Squires – daniel.squires3328@ fvtc.edu (disability related discrimination).
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OUR MISSION IS TO:
Provide relevant technical education and training to support student goals, a skilled workforce, and the economic vitality of our communities.
OUR VISION IS TO BE: A catalyst in engaging partners to bring innovative educational solutions to individuals, employers, and communities –transforming challenges into opportunities.
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By Carmelyn Daley-Hinkens
It involves mystery. Fascination. And a healthy dose of suspicion.
Those are just a few of the qualities that have attracted students Kim Hinson and Bhuwan Tiwari to Cybersecurity at Fox Valley Technical College.
Kim will graduate in May with a Cybersecurity Specialist associate degree. Her previous career was in cosmetology but while doing some soul-searching during the COVID-19 pandemic she decided to start a new career.
“Honestly, what drew me to the program was the concept of hacking,” Kim offers. “By that, I mean the ethical way of being a hacker and doing it for the good of other people.”
For Bhuwan, he wants to incorporate Cybersecurity courses into his learning while he pursues Software Developer and Web Development & Design Specialist associate degrees.
“I am fascinated with cybersecurity because as a developer, I’m writing code that could affect millions of lives and I have to be aware of vulnerabilities,” Bhuwan explains. “I need to think about how someone could breach the program as I’m writing it.”
FVTC has long offered Information Technology courses that touch upon security. But in recent years the program was renamed Cybersecurity Specialist to better reflect what students would learn.
“Before, the curriculum focused on guarding data and safeguards to keep information secure,” explains Joe Wetzel, department chair of Information Technology. “Cybersecurity Specialist deals with software, networking, policies and human factors. It’s interwoven into everything.”
The Cybersecurity Specialist is a 61-credit associate degree that includes courses like Network Essentials, Operating Systems Security, Computer Crime Investigation, and yes, Ethical Hacking. The class exposes students to techniques hackers use to discover vulnerabilities in systems. By learning how a hacker thinks, students learn how to react to protect computer networks.
“It’s a shift in how our students think,” Joe explains. “In class, we may start with a vulnerable system and the students must exploit it, then they realize, ‘Wow, this is bad. How can I make sure this does not happen to me?’ Then they go through the process of securing the system. They learn to mitigate it and prevent the security breach in the future.”
As a two-year program, the goal is to give students the tools they need, train them on those tools and get them into the industry as quickly as possible.
“I believe our students like Kim and Bhuwan are just as prepared as a four-year graduate to start their career. Our students graduate knowing many tools and processes employers use before they enter the workplace and can get to work right away. Our students are turnkey.”
$74,337 average annual salary for IT grads 5 years after graduation
The college’s Cybersecurity Command Center is a safe space for students to compete in ethical hacking competitions that include decoding strings, cracking passwords and even more aggressive challenges. Students get points when they complete hacking challenges and a leaderboard tracks the competitors.
• • • Video + more of this story available online at: www.fvtc.edu/CommandCenter
It’s like a small family here. The instructors really want you to be involved and make sure you’re not just going it alone.
Emily Perrault
For Emily Perrault, baking is therapy.
“Baking just calms me down,” she says. “When I want to have a calming part of my day or week, I find something to bake.”
So in 2021 when she was graduating from the FVTC Culinary Arts program and she heard about the new Baking & Pastry Management program coming soon, she was thrilled.
“I’ve been looking forward to these classes since they announced the program,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, a chocolate class? Another cake class? Yes!’ It really got me thinking that maybe one day I could be a baker or have a side gig.”
These new skills are being added to Emily’s already impressive resume. Not only has she earned an associate degree in Culinary Arts, she has also completed the FVTC Hospitality Management associate degree and the Baking & Pastry Production technical diploma.
And at just 22 years old, she is an executive chef at a local supper club, fulfilling the first career goal she set for herself. In May 2022, Emily took over the kitchen at Krabbe’s Kountry Klub in Seymour. “I make sure the kitchen is flowing smoothly,” she says. “I do everything from menu planning to taking inventory to placing orders, calling my reps, cooking meal service, and doing all the prep.” She also oversees the work of the waitstaff and the dishwashers and helps out with front-of-the-house tasks.
She loves the work. But it keeps her busy, and when she has downtime, Emily bakes. So she has set a new goal for herself: to have her own baking business on the side. She is taking classes one at a time while working full-time.
Emily first learned about Fox Valley Technical College’s Culinary Arts program as a Pulaski High School student participating in culinary competition events. She got to know the instructors, and was impressed by the program’s reputation as being well-established and highly regarded in the industry.
Once enrolled, she realized that what she appreciated most was the community aspect. “It’s like a small family here,” Emily says. “The instructors really want you to be involved and make sure you’re not just going it alone.”
“Emily is a superstar!” says Pastry/Culinary Instructor Jen McClure. “She’s inquisitive and always ready to learn, wanting to master whatever we offer her in class. It will be sad to see her go when we run out of classes to offer her. Between Baking and Pastry, Culinary, and Hospitality Management, it’s her goal to take every single one of them.”
“I love school!” Emily says. “I just keep coming back. And coming back and coming back.”
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/CulinaryHospitality
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Starting in summer 2023, work will begin to upgrade the FVTC culinary arts kitchen. The multi-year remodel will happen in phases, with phase one adding another state-ofthe-art baking lab, allowing us to meet the space needs of the Baking & Pastry Management degree and offer additional courses in baking production, chocolate and healthy baking.
Remodeling will continue into 2024 and 2025 with many more upgrades to come. Stay tuned!
Employment of chefs is projected to grow 15% by 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Growing up in El Salvador, Ana Mejia was used to crime. El Salvador is consistently ranked as among the most dangerous countries in the world, and violence was part of Ana’s daily life.
“I was living in a really violent community and my daughter and I were regularly threatened by gangs,” she recalls. Her complaints to police went unanswered. One day, gang members drew a gun on Ana and her daughter. “I thought we were going to die that day. That’s when I knew we needed to leave in order to save our lives.”
In 2016, Ana emigrated to the United States with her husband and her 18-month-old daughter. Her husband, Jose Recinos, had been an exchange student at Fox Valley Technical College so they decided to settle in the Fox Valley.
Ana first came to FVTC in 2019 to learn English. She then enrolled in Starting Point 2.0, an FVTC program that empowers young women and provides them with the resources they need to start a career.
After completing that program, her earlier problems working with law enforcement inspired her to pursue a career in Criminal Justice. “Law enforcement in El Salvador is broken,” she explains. “They do not help you when you need it. I decided I wanted to do something to help young women and children.”
El Salvador’s male-dominated National Civil Police force is a militant and commanding presence in the country. “Criminal justice in El Salvador is totally different than it is here,” Ana says. “As a child, I thought all police were angry, showing power and strength. In the United States, we help the community every day. My training has taught me that we can be strong and kind at the same time.”
In December 2022, Ana graduated from FVTC with an associate degree in Criminal Justice, and she is hoping to work with children in the juvenile justice system. “This career offers the chance to positively impact the lives of others, especially children.” Eventually she hopes to become a police officer.
Ana credits FVTC with helping her reach her goals. “FVTC has helped me break through so many barriers, starting with learning English and then helping me believe in myself,” she says.
Coming to the United States has opened up a world of opportunities she never would have had in El Salvador. “Young women in El Salvador have very few opportunities,” she says. “When I first moved here, I started to think like that. But then when I started at FVTC, they changed my mind. They told me I can do whatever I want, and now I believe that.”
And she’s a role model for her two children: her eightyear-old daughter whom she brought to the U.S. for a brighter future, as well as a four-year-old son. “My kids are proud of me; they call me their hero,” says Ana. “My daughter tells me she wants to be like me when she grows up.”
• • • Hear more from Ana: www.fvtc.edu/AnaMejia
• • • Learn more about the Starting Point 2.0 program: www.fvtc.edu/Women
Chef Emily PerraultCriminal Justice Department Chair Carrie Koepp wants more women to pursue careers in criminal justice. While she strives to be a role model for all students, she is truly focused on female students. “I want them to think, ‘If she can do it, I can do it,’” she explains. The efforts by Carrie and others in the FVTC Public Safety division are working. Since 2015, the female-to-male student ratio has increased by 11% in the Criminal Justice programs.
Corrections Officer DNR Warden Probation & Parole Officer Public Safety Dispatcher Police Officer $51,500 average annual salary for Criminal Justice grads 6 months after graduation
Through his work with Upward Bound, FVTC Quality Management grad encourages first-gen students to pursue education.
By Casey BrittenIn 1998, Garry Moïse was a college student from Haiti when he arrived at Fox Valley Technical College as part of a study abroad program. He graduated in 2000 with a degree in Quality Management (now called Quality Engineering Technology) and returned to Haiti to apply the skills he learned.
He returned to Wisconsin a few years later, enrolled at Marian University in Fond du Lac and has since earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marian. He now serves as the university’s director of the Upward Bound Math & Science program, and is the recipient of Marian’s 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award.
The people. Everyone at FVTC was so supportive and helpful. I also really enjoyed being exposed to the area; it was a good opportunity to get to know Wisconsin.
There's so much technology involved in what's going on at Fox Valley Tech. I'm proud that I was a student there.
Many of the skills I learned at Fox Valley Tech I still use to this day. My degree opened my eyes to the concept of quality and leadership. There was also a lot of emphasis on serving, particularly customer service. I learned that I could apply that in different professional settings.
I’m the director of the Upward Bound Math and Science Program. It’s part of the federally funded TRIO grant providing college and career preparation for students who would be first in their families to pursue a college degree, and many of them are from families with limited income. We serve a population that may not think a college degree is for them, because nobody in the family has been there.
What is your advice to people just starting out in their careers?
I encourage students to be intellectually curious about their career choices. If you are not sure about what to pursue, look it up. Get to know what it is about. Connect with someone. Start connecting even when you are in high school. Start exploring the careers that you are thinking about and it's okay if you change your mind. Learning is not just in the classroom. Learning happens everywhere.
You are the recipient of Marian University’s 2023 MLK Spirit Award. How are you living out Dr. King’s legacy?
Martin Luther King was fighting a much larger fight. I focus on personal development through my work in education and through my work in serving the community. My dream is to provide a contribution in whatever capacity I can to help others fulfill their own dream. I’m in a position to help others transform themselves. Through Fox Valley Tech and other opportunities in my life, I've benefited from what others have done for me, and I just want to continue to do that for others.
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Alumni
Faith McHugh did not know what the Promise scholarship was when she first heard of it. But just as the name suggests, the program held a lot of promise for her future.
As a student, Faith was eligible for financial aid when she started the Associate Degree Nursing program but there was still a financial gap. She was intrigued when she was offered the Promise scholarship. If Faith maintained solid grades and provided service to her community, the Promise scholarship would cover all outstanding expenses.
“I knew I could do this,” Faith explains. “If you can complete a program without school loans looming, why wouldn’t you? Being in debt right out of high school is nerve-wracking.”
Having completed the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and basic Emergency Medical Services (EMS) programs at FVTC while in high school, Faith was confident in her grades. And she had long been meeting the service criteria through her volunteer EMS work in the Town of Freedom.
Faith graduated in December 2022 with no college debt. She works full time as a nurse at a local plasma services agency and works part time as a nurse at a skilled nursing facility. She also plans to attend Grand Canyon University later this year to complete her bachelor’s degree. Her promise for the future? She wants to continue to work with elderly patients and one day teach CNA students at FVTC about the joy of working with the elderly.
“I love my geriatric population,” Faith says. “I love when they share their stories. They have taught me so much over the years as a CNA and nurse and I will work with them throughout my career.”
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/FVTCPromise
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Nursing
98% grad employment for RN-Associate Degree 6 months after graduation
the FVTC Foundation Inc., the Promise scholarship covers tuition, textbooks and other costs once grants and scholarships have been applied. To qualify, students must live in the FVTC district, be eligible for financial aid, maintain good grades and provide service to their community.
Members of the Hmong Student Union (HSU) participate in an icebreaker activity during a club meeting. HSU is one of the most active student clubs on campus, with regular social get-togethers, fundraisers and heritage awareness events planned throughout the year.
While I have taught several courses in the Communication Skills department, I primarily teach English Composition I and Oral/ Interpersonal Communication. In Fall 2023, I will also teach the Introduction to Literature course that is a part of our new Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs.
Throughout my entire educational journey, I had teachers and professors who supported and pushed me to be the best version of myself. I wanted to be a part of creating that kind of environment for others.
I learn so much about the students. Through the essays they write, the speeches they give and the discussions they have, the students reveal their personalities, goals and even their fears. I appreciate it when students take that journey and commit to developing parts of themselves that they know need some work.
This new option allows students to earn an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from FVTC and transfer with junior standing to a four-year partnership school.
Learning is a two-way street for Communication Skills instructor.
By Carmelyn Daley-HinkensAs a 1999 graduate of St. Norbert College (SNC), Bob began his career as an English teacher at Neenah High School. Bob earned a Master of Science in Education from SNC and joined FVTC on an adjunct basis before becoming full-time faculty in 2010. He is a Communication Skills instructor and the president of the FVTC Faculty Association.
The courses I teach dovetail nicely with the college’s Employability Essentials, which are the skills and behaviors we know our employers want in the workplace from our students. Whenever they face a challenging situation, I remind them that they have an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned on how to adapt and communicate effectively and respectfully.
Students who learn to use college resources, advocate for themselves and become active members of the college community have the richest and most powerful experiences at FVTC.
• • • More of Bob’s interview available online at: www.fvtc.edu/BobEbben
The programs are financial aid eligible and meet all general education course requirements at schools such as UW Oshkosh, UW-Green Bay and Lakeland University.
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/UniversityTransfer
It was a unique request for the instructors. But they were up to the challenge.
“This had never been done before,” says Mike Farrell, department chair for Transportation Contract Training. “I’ve never taught a translated class before.”
It was also uncharted territory for Maria Carone, a parttime limited-term faculty member in World Languages and Cultures. But together, Mike and Maria led the first-of-its-kind Department of Transportation Annual Inspection Training with Spanish Interpretation to a group of employees at the request of their employer, Performance Corporation.
As mechanics at the Seymour company, the four employees not only service and repair the truck fleet but must also be qualified to conduct annual inspections required by the Department of Transportation to verify the vehicles are safe to be on the road. With the employees having limited Englishspeaking skills, Performance Corporation turned to FVTC’s Business and Industry Services team for training help and the customized program was born.
Employees came to the Appleton campus for a two-anda-half-day program that combined lessons in the classroom and hands-on training in the diesel lab. Mike taught and Maria translated as needed.
“We did get an assist with technology. An updated version of PowerPoint would dictate what I said and translate it to Spanish on the screen,” Mike explains. “But Maria was critical in the translation piece as well. If the technology was not translating correctly, or the students did not understand, she would jump in and communicate with all of us.”
The employees completed the necessary training and earned the qualifications needed It was also a great lesson in teamwork for the instructors.
“Mike was the main moderator and I was the bridge,” Maria explains. “Language is always a bridge to initiate communication and establish relationships, and often there is a sense of discomfort when you do not know what is being said. That settled down very quickly with this group of students. Trust was established quickly, which made it very pleasant.” • • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/BIS
A quick look at what we’ve been up to!
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The first group of students enrolled in Career EXCELerate, a unique career-training program offered in partnership with Goodwill NCW and Rawhide Youth Services, started classes in January at the FVTC Appleton campus.
This program is available at no cost to individuals who continue to face ongoing challenges or the lingering impact from the pandemic and would benefit from additional job training and support services as they re-enter the workforce.
Programs are being offered in eight career paths where workers continue to be in high demand. They include Nursing Assistant, Early Childhood Teacher Aide, Woodworking Technician, Pipe Trades, Welding Fundamentals, Industrial Manufacturing Technician Apprentice, Professional Truck Driving and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Maintenance. While the first cohort has begun classes, several programs will start again in the summer; truck driving will start new training classes monthly.
Career EXCELerate was launched in 2022. The goal of the program is to serve 400+ individuals through the 2024 calendar year. To explore eligibility, learn more at www.fvtc.edu/CE.
Irina Visnevcaia’s art about the war in Ukraine goes on tour.
Irina Visnevcaia came to Appleton to visit her daughter in early 2022 but has not been able to return home since the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. Not knowing when she might return to her homeland, Irina enrolled in English Language Learning (ELL) classes at Fox Valley Technical College in the fall of 2022 and started her second semester in January.
Irina took four years of English in high school and an additional four years in college but credits the college’s ELL program for helping her the most. “The existence of this program to refugees, to people like me at no cost, is amazing,” Irina says.
Her time at FVTC has allowed Irina to share her culture with classmates and reignited her passion for art, something
she is well-known for in Ukraine. In January, she and her daughter traveled to San Diego where Irina’s tapestry-style art is being displayed for several weeks at the Heart and Soul of Ukraine exhibition. Her art will also be displayed this summer in exhibits in Sacramento and Washington, DC.
For the latest Fox Valley Technical College news, visit www.fvtc.edu/News.
• Student Brandon Fickbohm and instructor
Sally Schultz were honored by The DAISY Foundation, an organization highlighting the nursing profession. Brandon received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. Sally was named an Academic Clinical Instructor honoree.
• FVTC has been awarded almost $100,000 in state grant money for the Innovation Accelerator for Veterans
The program helps veterans who want to start their own businesses through training and technical support. This is the seventh consecutive year the college has received the grant.
• Enrollment numbers started strong for the spring 2023 semester. The college saw a 3% increase in the number of classes. Massage Therapy, Aesthetician, Medical Coding and Automotive-related programs started off the semester at or near full capacity.
• Instructors recently completed a site visit to prepare for a study abroad program in The Bahamas. Thanks to a $35,000 federal grant, students in Agriculture and Natural Resources will have the opportunity to travel to The Bahamas in January 2024. They’ll study agriculture, resource management and sustainability in this island country.
• Several new programs are launching in fall 2023, including associate degrees in:
- Master Aesthetician
- Family & Consumer Sciences Education Instruction
In addition, new technical diplomas include:
- Project Specialist
- Dairy Automation
- Hospitality Specialist
- Kitchen & Bath Design Assistant
Apprenticeship launched for spring 2023 semester.
Early childhood centers are in crisis and the need for skilled workers to teach our preschoolers is greater than ever before. Between 2013-2022, the Wisconsin Technical College System served almost 32,000 students interested in a career in Early Childhood Education. However, the number of students enrolled has been trending down for the past three years.
To help be a part of the solution, the college has begun offering a new Early Childhood Educator Apprentice option. The two-year apprenticeship provides apprentices the opportunity to earn wages and learn on-the-job skills at a childcare center while attending classes at FVTC.
The 24-credit apprenticeship program was launched in January. The courses are fully online and create a pathway for those who want to continue their education and pursue an associate degree in Early Childhood Education.
Major upgrades to enhance Culinary Arts, Electricity and Construction programs.
Under consideration for summer 2023 are several renovation projects across the Fox Valley Technical College district.
At the Appleton campus, upgrades involve the Culinary Arts and food service areas. A second baking lab is being added to enhance the Baking & Pastry Management program, and the meat identification lab is being remodeled. The food service area is also being redesigned to improve the flow for customers.
Improvements are also planned for the Electricity technical diploma labs and classrooms at the D.J. Bordini Center in Appleton.
In Oshkosh, a new outdoor construction lab for the Construction Management Technology program will be built on land adjacent to the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center.
A number of smaller improvement projects are also planned in areas like Health, Public Safety and Early Childhood Education, as well as numerous classroom upgrades at the Oshkosh Riverside Campus.
If you’re a parent or family member of a future or current FVTC student, sign up to stay engaged and focused on what matters most – your student’s success. Receive an email a couple of times a month with quick information that will help you support your student’s academic journey.
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See something you like? The articles in this magazine are easily accessible with additional links, photos and videos at www.fvtc.edu/Focus.
A camper rappels off the side of a building at the Appleton Fire Department during Fire Camp. Each summer, FVTC hosts a wide range of hands-on summer camps for middle school and high school students.
www.fvtc.edu/SummerCamps
